No, religion is not required for morality, nor is it required for people to behave morally.
"Does religion make people moral?"
http://www.the-brights.net/morality/...%20365-384.pdf
"Atheism, Secularity, and Well-Being: How the Findings of Social Science Counter Negative Stereotypes and Assumptions"
http://www.onlyemes.org/wproot/wp-co...on_atheism.pdf
http://www.the-brights.net/morality/...%20365-384.pdf
moral sentiments that encourage prosociality evolved independently of religion, and secular institutions can serve social monitoring functions; therefore religion is not necessary for morality [emphasis added]. Supernatural monitoring and related cultural practices build social solidarity and extend moral concern to strangers as a result of a cultural evolutionary process."
"Atheism, Secularity, and Well-Being: How the Findings of Social Science Counter Negative Stereotypes and Assumptions"
http://www.onlyemes.org/wproot/wp-co...on_atheism.pdf
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